Entrepreneurship

Listen. Your natural hair is not properly thriving until you get yourself a satin hair bonnet! I’ve been using these satin hair bonnets by @thewrapchic_ for over a month and my hair is really holding in that moisture.

A few weeks ago I was about to make myself a satin bonnet due to my hair drying out when I use my regular head ties to sleep. I tried using two head ties at a time, yes I tied one over the other, until I decided to get the fabric to start constructing my solution to this dryness. However, my commitment to support local encouraged me to do otherwise.

Immediately, I thought of @TheWrapChic_ where you can get some vibrant, beautiful satin hair bonnets, among other accessories, which have been on my ‘to get’ list for a while.

I contacted Terrie-Ann, owner of the business, told her what I wanted and she presented me some options. She then convinced me to get myself two satin hair bonnets since it was my sister’s birthday. I chose an Ankara-print and a reversible two-coloured satin bonnet. While it was very hard for me to let go off the Ankara-print, it worked well to add to other items I got my sister for her birthday. She was more excited than I was to receive it.

The process to place my order and get my package was absolutely easy and one which will send you back to spend more money! Terrie-Ann’s customer service is top notch and her willingness to listen and respond in a timely manner is what we desire from other local businesses (ah whole other topic). I also have to mention the packaging of her products. Her branding is all over her items and a business card was also placed in the package. Well done!

Two other major selling points are that Terrie-Ann uses scrap or left over fabric to make reusable pouches as packaging. It also works as good way to store the bonnets if not in use. Also, she uses her very own pillow mist (which she mentions below) to add some fragrance to your package. Her mists come in a few different fragrances, but they smell heavenly. My package had a soft vanilla fragrance which I fell in love with and had to get one. She’s also offering new fragrances for Christmas.

P.s. I got some other goodies in my package which made me extremely happy. (Two hand made fabric covered button earrings and a headband also made from left over fabric). She usually will add something in a package if she can.

Take a read and learn some more about Terrie-Ann and her blossoming business:

1. Tell us about yourself and where you’re from.

Hi, I am Terrie-Ann Charles, I am a christian and lifestyle blogger. I am also an entrepreneur. I consider myself creative because I do bits and pieces of everything. I am a wife and mom of a 5-year-old.

2. These satin bonnets are life! They are not only for kinky-curly hair types, but all hair types to lock in that moisture. What led you start The Wrap Chic?

Thank you so kindly. I really appreciate your compliment! Actually, I started off with head wraps under the umbrella of, my formerly named business, Tailored by Terrieann which is now re-named Terrie-Ann. My love for fashion and style allowed me to be creative and I experimented with different colours, patterns, prints and with this newfound hobby it gave me an opportunity to create alternative style methods to enhance my wardrobe. I decided, why not share my creativity with other women who are looking for style accessory alternatives that will assist with their confidence. We started in that form then I realized that Tailored by Terrieann was evolving into a different platform and could no longer house “The Wrap Chic”. I decided quickly on a name, created a home for my new business, which by the way is growing leaps and bounds by God’s sweetest Grace.

3. How has being an entrepreneur impacted your life?

Wow! Great question. Being an entrepreneur has impacted my life in a real way. It has opened my eyes to see how harsh and evil the world is but has also allowed me to see how hard I have to work in order to get what I want. (and still is impacting my life). I can say now that I am learning the importance of balancing life on a whole. Being an entrepreneur has also motivated me to continue working hard towards my goals and never settle for less.

4. What other products can we find at The Wrap Chic?

At The Wrap Chic you can get Headwraps, Satin Hair bonnets, eco-friendly covered button earring, The Sleep Box which includes: 1 Customized hair bonnet, 1 Sweet Dreams Pillow mist, 2 tea light scented candles, 1 Sleep mask, and 4 Chamomile tea bags. We are also creating another product which will be called The Goddess Set, it will include 2 Satin pillowcases 1 headscarf and one satin reversible hair bonnet.

5. Were there any challenges you faced when you just started and what steps did you take to overcome them?

Oh yes, I experienced lots of challenges when I just started. Just to name two FEAR and seeking validation from people who had no expertise in business. I overcame every challenge with prayer and being consistent. Every time I failed I encouraged myself and kept moving.

6. Just for fun, share one of your favourite hairstyles using your products.

This is a recent video I did with the beautiful @ShanellnKhan. Video was done by @HollyCharlesPhotos.

7. How did you go about funding your business?

I started this business with EC$60.00. At the time, I started this business I was working a full-time job, so I had a discussion with my husband the previous month, then the following month I took out EC$60.00 from my salary and started a faith journey.

8. I recently attended a prayer breakfast you hosted. Can you share more about the seminars and events you host?

All of the Women Empowerment Events I host is under the brand Terrie-Ann. This brand is catered to women, especially Christian women, to help inspire, empower and influence women to be elevated from Fear to Faith. To move past the perceptions and traditions created by “man” and to start to walk into our God-given destiny and purpose. This brand is also on a mission to connect like-minded women through Women of Purpose Empowerment Events that will holistically strengthen core areas of Prayer, Wellness, and Kingdom business building.

9. Any advice to anyone looking to start a new business?

I have loads of advice, lol! but I will give two. Firstly, once you have the idea, pray about it. Ask God if this business idea is in alignment with his plans for your life. Ensure you listen to hear what He is saying before you make any move. Secondly, once you get the right of away, START BY FAITH! God will do the rest. Believe me, this will work for you. I only wish someone had told me this before I had started and I would have avoided many challenges from the beginning.

If you’d like to purchase satin hair bonnets, ready-made vibrant head wraps, contact Terrie-Ann on Facebook, Instagram and/or email terrieannj@gmail.com.

This month’s entrepreneur feature is such an inspiration to me and from the title, I think you have an idea of what to look forward to.

Mekalia Croney is a creative, event planner and many other things. I’ve know her since primary school and I really looked up to her. She was a class or two ahead of me and one of the girls I considered to ‘know what she was about’, even at that age. Since then, she has moved on to accomplish great things, but just about two years ago she “made the decision to expand [her] career options and explore the possibility of getting paid doing something [she] considered a hobby at the time, Event Planning, Design and Decor.”

Her business will be turning one TODAY (Friday 21st, 2019) and I’d love for the Islepreneur family to send a big shout out and congratulations to her.

Continue reading to learn more about Eventful by Mekalia.

1. Hello Mekalia. Tell me a bit about yourself and what you do.

Hello! my name is Mekalia Croney nee Antoine. I am a Christian, wife to an awesome husband, lover of nature and of mankind and a qualified teacher at the secondary level, specializing in Social Studies. I taught for eight years at my Alma Mater, The Anglican High School. I was then fortunate to get the opportunity to acquire training in Event Management through a joint program offered by George Washington University and UWI/Author Loc Jack school of business in Trinidad. I later acquired further training in Wedding and Event Management from the New York Institute of Art and Design (NYIAD). The training received along with my passion for the Events Industry has afforded me a number of opportunities first as the Wedding and Event Manager and Event Designer/Decorator at Island Catering, where I was instrumental in helping to create the wedding subsidiary of the company, today known as Island Weddings. After 7 years in that position, in 2017, it became time to move on and so I resigned. I was afraid of the unknown, but at the same time, excited about the adventures that awaited. It was a move which initially came about in order for me to migrate to be with my husband in neighbouring Trinidad but which eventually spiraled into me starting my own business and becoming an entrepreneur.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Setbacks only keep us back as far and as long as we let them. – Mekalia Croney [/perfectpullquote]

2. What led to your pivoting moment from teacher to event planner?

Event Planning came naturally to me, probably from a desire to be highly organised and always in the know as it relates to entertainment/the limelight etc. It was during my time as a teacher. I got stuck on every committee that planned anything and I decided that it would be useful to acquire some formal skills in order to become better at what I was doing. That mixed with passion was the catalyst that fueled what has been a chain reaction from 2008 to today.

3. Your work is amazing. You just keep getting better and better. What inspires you to keep going?

Awe! Well thank you, I appreciate the vote of confidence and yes that is the plan to keep getting better and better. I find inspiration in the process, taking an idea from conception to creation from a tiny seed/thought into this whole new tangible thing fascinates me. I am always eager about the outcome and once my adrenaline kicks in, its like a super power until the work is done. I often have to be reminded to eat or rest because I just want to create something wonderful, that my client will enjoy and be pleased with. Important to me also, is to create pieces that are reflective of me. My work reflects my personality, my style and my belief that “anything worth doing is worth doing well. For this reason, I will gently turn down the opportunity to work on projects that are not reflective of my taste and style or that time and resources do not permit me to do well. I am also inspired by everything and everyone around me. I try to find the blessing and the lesson in everything and that keeps me moving forward. my aim is always to outdo myself and only myself so I focus on just that, growing in my own space, through each project. Last but not least I find inspiration in turning old into New, in reusing and recycling so I can often be found pondering on old pieces of scrap metal or board etc. items deemed no longer useful. I figure out how these items can be repurposed and made useful or beautiful again and that sparks joy in my heart.

4. You mentioned you moved to Trinidad with your husband and have been between two islands. How has that been for you?

Like I said earlier, my life is an adventure. This right here is a big part of that adventure. When people ask, “Where do you live?” I jokingly say in the sea between Grenada and Trinidad lol! But the experience has been rewarding. Trinidad offers me a lot that Grenada can’t. Likewise, Grenada offers me so much that Trinidad does not so the right balance of the two creates the perfect equilibrium for me at this stage of my growth. I remind myself of that whenever this arrangement becomes a challenge, as it sometimes does. As you can imagine, as a result of my back and forth between islands, everything in my life is time sensitive and so scheduling and time management is very important to me, but I won’t trade this current phase of my life for anything. I look forward to mastering it and then moving on to another equally exciting and adventurous chapter.

[ctt title=”Never be afraid to start over, to think outside the box, reinvent yourself or throw the box away” tweet=”Never be afraid to start over, to think outside the box, reinvent yourself or throw the box away https://islepreneur.com/islepreneur/eventful-by-mekalia/ via @islepreneur” coverup=”56efe”]

5. List the services you offer at the moment.

Eventful by Mekalia is a wedding and special events company that specializes in celebrating life in ways that are authentic and uniquely you, simply “Because life is an event” (our motto). While Eventful by Mekalia caters to an array of events, Wedding planning and design is my first love. I also enjoy executing cooperate functions and dabbling in interior designs. My baby currently is the Picnicking and Gifting services which we offer. You can expect to hear and see a lot more of these in the coming months. We also offer a Procurement Service for persons wanting to source items for events as well as event consultations.

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6. Name one or two projects you’ve completed which you can say are your favourite to date.

Lol! Now that’s a tough one. I think all of my projects are my favorite for various reasons. Each has taught me something distinct and unique, as each project has been distinct and unique in its own right. I especially like projects that allow me the flexibility to think outside the box, to come up with creative ideas and solutions and to construct things. I love any project that allows me to scout for materials in nature – my secret scrap yard Lol! I love to re-purpose old to new.

7. Did you ever once before think that you would have become an entrepreneur?

Nope! it wasn’t a path that I was groomed from High School to follow. I was not the student who had her eyes fixed on a career in business. Oh no! I was certain that I was destined for a career in the social sciences and so after Teachers College I prepared to pursue studies in Social Welfare and Guidance and Counseling. My dream halted or rather diverted in 2009 when tragedy struck and I lost my pillar of support – my Dad. I have learned, however, that setbacks only keep us back as far and as long as we let them.

8. Starting a business is no easy feat, especially on an island with limited resources. Did you experience any challenges starting your business and what did you do to overcome?

Oh yes! I experienced and still do experience challenges in getting Eventful By Mekalia off the ground and to where I want it to be. To overcome these challenges I try aligning myself with people who are more knowledgeable then I am about these issues. So for example, a lawyer to work out the legalities of contracts, business registration etc, an accountant to understand taxation, business accounts etc. A broker to understand the ins and outs of moving items through the port etc.

Samantha Francis-LaTouche has been making a name for herself with her handcrafted accessory line. I’ve known her since college (a long time ago), but only discovered her business about two years ago. I was absolutely impressed with her work and was immediately drawn to one of the products which sets her apart from the rest – those fancy fascinators! I finally got the chance to chat and do an interview with her. Continue reading to learn more:

1. Hello Samantha. It is so good that we finally got the chance to chat. I know you’ve been working tremendously hard on your business and have been showing up in many events. To start, tell me about yourself and where you’re from:

I was born in Annandale, St. George also known as Malfoot. I am the first of seven children; three girls and four boys. I am married to the most handsome man in the world, Claudious La Touche, and a mother of three handsome boys. Their names are Christian, Caleb and Carell.

2. What is the name and nature of your business?

The name of my business is PurElegance Designs™. My tag line is ‘Unique designs for your peace of mind’. My main aim is to design and create matching accessories that can turn a boring piece of clothing into exciting, timeless, elegant pieces.  I love that I can take a simple dress that was worn many times and add colourful, vibrant accessories to make it look brand new. I listen to customers needs and wants and find fabric to suit their taste and style.

3. I love that! Tell me more about your accessory line.

The products I provide are handmade clutch purses, fascinators, hats, earrings, necklaces and bracelets all made by me.

4. What led you to become a designer and making these unique fascinators and purses? Do you have a background in design?

I always loved design from small. I always wanted to be a fashion designer. I had lots of day dreams of designs I would even dress myself in my mind and knew whether I would look good or not way before I put on the actual clothing. I always had these burning desires to design but never made the attempt until the church I attend New Life Fellowship one of the requirements for women is that our heads must be covered as a member of the church. One day I was talking to God and I said to the Lord, “Lord I know I can do something with these hands. I don’t know what, but if there are any gifts in me, show me Lord how to make a hat so that I can wear at church. I can’t buy these expensive hats in the stores.”

Within a week, the desire grew stronger and I started having day visions on how to cut and sew the hat. Still not sure of myself, I tried YouTube and Google to get clarity on what I was seeing. That did not help and so I had to trust God and by faith made my first attempt. I sewed my first hat and saw that it was good. I did it again again and again, went to church with them and people were interested. They even asked my husband where he bought my hats. My husband laughed and told them I made them. They wanted to purchase, but I told them I only made hats for me. They were persistent and so I made and sold realizing this was a business and it needed a name. Then a sister asked me to make a purse for her. I was like “WHAT?? I can’t do that!” I Googled and again, I didn’t get what I was looking for so I did it by faith, trusting God. It blew my mind and so the accessories ideas came one by one within months.

5. Was it difficult for you to start this new business and explore your creativity? Were there any challenges?

The challenge I have is sourcing materials here in Grenada. It’s so sad that we don’t have that wide variety of fabrics or certain materials to get a certain look.

6. I noticed that most of your products are African print. Do you also provide solid colours for those who’d opt for that?

Yes, I love African print. It was the fabric I used when I started my business. It’s vibrant, colourful and uplifts simple and dull colour. If a customer prefers to have solid colours, that can definitely be arranged.

7. What did you do to overcome those challenges?

I was able to bring in or import some of the products.

8. What brings you the most joy in doing what you do?

What brings me the most joy is to see the happy faces of customers when they see my products.

9. Any words of advise for upcoming entrepreneurs?

The advice I have is that God has given everyone a gift. It is our role to find that gift and tap into it. Never let fear grip you of taking first step of what ever desires the Lord would have put into your heart. Trust God.

10. Any new projects ahead Will you be participating in any upcoming activities?

Definitely looking forward to expand and yes! I will be joining other local entrepreneurs on May 25th, 2019 in Flavours of Grenada Food Festival being held at Port Louis. So come out in your numbers to support.

Thinking about getting one of those fancy fascinators or an Ankara print matching purse and necklace? Find PurElegance Designs ™ on Facebook or Instagram @pur_elegance.

Photography by Kizzy Rennie of IsleofBites.com.

Lately I’ve been in awe at the amount of local products and services emerging on the market. Many with potential to being the next ‘big thing’, not only in our tri-Island state, but also in the Caribbean region.

It’s good to see that some of us are not just seeing problems and talking about them, but we’re making moves. We’re  thinking outside the box, using creativity and innovation to put limited resources to use and produce value added products and services to enhance our quality of life and provide solutions to problems we encounter daily.

One of those recently launched problem solvers was started out of a need to find skilled and trusted service providers without …well..the headache of having to call here, there and everywhere before connecting with that ‘right guy’.

Service Lane, founded by Annlyn McPhie (right in pic below) in 2015, is an online directory where you can find just about any, and I do mean any, service provider on the island of Grenada. It’s almost like an Angie’s list for Grenadians, so no need to wonder about where to find and get in touch with that plumber, seamstress or taxi. The list is populated with qualified service providers in almost any niche you can think of.

Ok. So how does it work? It’s quite easy. As a service provider, if you want to be included on Service Lane’s list of services, which I absolutely recommend, all you need to do is head to https://myservicelane.com, sign up, (make sure to enter parish) and you should receive an email in your inbox to confirm your registration.

After you would have confirmed your registration, I highly suggest you take the time to fill out your bio, list your services with prices and contact information. Share your page on your social media platforms and encourage your customers to write a review. Service providers who are not able to afford a website at the moment, this is a great way to have an online presence in addition to having a Facebook page. You can list as many services as you desire and it is quite convenient for customers to view prices without having to wait for a response from service providers. However, if customers needed to make contact, they can do so through the website. See video for more details.

If you’re like me and usually looking for services, all you do is head over to Service Lane’s website at https://myservicelane.com and either do a search for services using the search bar at the top right hand corner or scroll down a bit to search for a preferred niche. You will be taken to the services page where you can do a more detailed search, including by parish. Easy and simple. A directory of local services in just two clicks!

Service Lane is a much-needed service on our island. The headache of finding services have literally been cut down to just a few easy to follow steps. The opportunity for service providers to have an online presence has just been made simpler and affordable.

If you’re a service provider, Get listed. Get found. Get hired with Service Lane.

Photos by: CG Creative 

Follow Service Lane on Facebook and Instagram or visit their website at https://myservicelane.com.

You’ve heard of hiking tours, sailing tours and buggy tours, but just a few months ago, a new kind of tour had been introduced to the island of Grenada. If you’re a foodie, you’ll love this one. It’s called Savor The Spice which is a 3 – 6 hour culinary adventure tour to local restaurants and stops where you get to taste and learn about authentic Grenadian cuisine while also being taught bits of the history of the island.

I was fortunate to be able to join the Savor the City tour in the historic town of St. George’s but I also had a chance to talk to founder and chief epicurean officer, Tasha La Touche, to find out more about one of Grenada’s newest and exciting soft tours. See our interview below:

1.What is your name and tell me a bit about yourself.

My name is Tasha La Touche. I grew up in the United States of America with Grenadian parentage. From childhood, I had an immediate connection and love for the country of my heritage. I have always had a passion to share Grenada with the world and so I consider myself a self-proclaimed ambassador for the Island of Spice; my little paradise on earth.

2. What is the nature or your business and when did it get started?

My business is called “Savor The Spice”, Grenada’s first and only Culinary/Food Tour. I launched Savor The Spice early 2017 which has been a dream of mine for over two years.

3. What inspired you to start Savor The Spice?

I have always loved Grenada and Caribbean cuisine and since it has always been my dream to promote Grenada to the world, I decided to mesh my gift for hosting and event planning with my love for Grenada and authentic Caribbean food. This is how I came up with Savor The Spice.

4. Can you list the different types of tours offered by Savor The Spice?

We currently provide four products:

• Savor the City/Town: A 3-hour walking and tasting tour throughout the town of St. George’s.
• Savor the Country: A 6-hour tasting tour throughout the lush countryside of Grenada and its interior.
• Sip and Savor: A unique bar hopping experience.
• Savor Cooking Classes: A 3-hour, Chef-led cooking experience.

5. Any challenges when you first started?

The major obstacle has been getting our partners to understand and buy into the concept. Also, learning how to navigate in the Caribbean business culture was another challenge.

6. What are you looking forward to? Any new projects, events or plans for expansion?

We are rapidly growing, adding new products and new staff. We are definitely looking into other markets for 2018 and getting into other forms of media, but we will keep that under wraps for now. Definitely bigger and better things coming in 2018 for Savor The Spice, so keep your eye out for us. Our hearts will always be in Grenada and we will continue to share Grenada to the world.

7. Any words of advise to anyone looking to become an entrepreneur?

My parting words of advice to future entrepreneurs would be this: Do not limit yourself. Don’t let naysayers or negative people derail you from your goal. Also, be creative and put in the work. Anytime you set out to be an entrepreneur, be prepared to work twice as hard and twice as long as your competitors.

[ctt title=”Explore #PureGrenada with this new tour, Savor The City Food Tour by Savor The Spice” tweet=”Explore #PureGrenada with this new tour, Savor The City Food Tour by Savor The Spice https://ctt.ec/3O5v9+ via @islepreneur” coverup=”3O5v9″]

Savor the City Food Tour

This tour took us to several restaurants and vendor stops (on foot) in Grenada’s capital, St. Georges. It was a hot day. The sun came out with all its splendor and with no apology, but it was a great tour. Addie, our amazing and knowledgeable tour guide did a great job with sharing the history on the food items and the various stops in town.

Our first stop was at Two Cultures Restaurant in the heart of St. George’s.

There we had a true Grenadian breakfast: coconut bakes with saltfish souse (saltfish mixed with local seasoning, tomatoes and carrots if you wish) smoked herring and local cocoa tea. The cocoa is made from locally grown cocoa which I appreciate. This is by far one of my favourite dishes and I can have this any time of day.

I’ve always passed by this little restaurant, but never stopped to check out the menu. It was my first time there and I loved it. I’ll definitely be back to at least have a drink and relax.

We then headed into the Spice Market where we met with ‘Sister’ and got to sample some locally made jam and jelly. We also got a lesson on Grenada’s nutmeg.

Of course you can’t leave the market without having coconut water and the jelly inside the nut. Your life will not be the same. 🙂

Our next stop was at Native Food & Fruits at the foot of Market Hill. There we sampled two smoothies, soursop and mango-passion, made from real fruit also grown in Grenada.

I must admit, though soursop has a long list of healing properties, it is not my favourite fruit, but everyone loved it, including those who tasted the fruit for the first time.

These icey, fruit treats satisfied some sweet tooth cravings and were a great way to cool down while we hiked uphill to the next stop at Paradise Glass Gallery & Cafe.

Owned by Maria McClafferty, the shop is located at the top of Young Street and the end of Church Street. We were all most happy when we walked into the shop. Besides the unique, artistic glass pieces you can find in there, the appreciation for air condition was on another level.

Maria makes glass wares, jewelry and ornaments. Matter of fact, she makes just about anything from glass. The food, which she also made, was served on beautifully crafted glass plates/platters. Make sure to check out her shop.

Maria served a tasty smoked sail fish on french baguette with cinnamon cake and rum coffee. Yes, that’s right, rum coffee. Not at all for the faint at heart.

The combination of the smoked sailfish on cream cheese, which I had for the first time, was absolutely delicious. I was a bit skeptical at first since it looked like sushi (not that I haven’t had sushi). One of the tour attendees who is a chef, confirmed that smoked fish is well done and actually very good. He was right!

Maria’s iced, cinnamon cake was also a delight. It was moist and bursting with the right amount of cinnamon flavour. I am now thinking about trading in black cake for a cinnamon cake this Christmas.

Being a lover of things curry and almost anything chicken, I totally appreciated our next stop at The Nutmeg Bar & Restaurant. We were served chicken roti with soursop juice. Roti is a popular Caribbean dish made with potatoes, chicken and local seasoning, curried in one pot then wrapped in a dough. You can find it in almost any restaurant on any day around lunch time.

The juice, to my surprise, was very good considering I’m not a soursop lover.

Our final stop was to my favourite place in town, House of Chocolate. We had my favourite chocolate treat, chocolate cheesecake which was all I needed to top off my day. As per usual, it was so, so good and made from local chocolate. I could never have enough of this.

Related Post: House of Chocolate Grenada

I am sold by this tour mainly because it gives the option of exploring our island and the savory delicacies made by locals. Also, you can check out Kizzy Rennie’s account of the tour on IsleofBites.com. 

If you’ve ever heard about Amazon.com, then I am definitely sure, you will like this. Grenada’s very own online market place where you can find just about anything you need, including a kitchen sink! Stay at home, log onto Yogo.gd, place an order and have the items delivered to you to any part of the island.

Also, if you have not yet signed up to my mailing list, do so before November 15th, 2017 to receive FREE Yogo Plus Membership and FREE DELIVERY from Yogo.gd.

1.What is the name and nature of your business and when did it get started?

The name of our company is Yogo.gd, an online marketplace which was started in March 2017. Similar to Amazon.com, we list and sell products from local retailers and deliver the purchased items to customers.

2. What services do you offer?

Yogo.gd is a platform which links Grenadian stores (allowing them to sell their products online) with Grenadian customers, allowing them to purchase products online with either a credit card or debit card. We also provide delivery services so customers will not have to leave where they are. 

3. What was the inspiration behind Yogo.gd?

We believe that Grenada should have the same conveniences as the more developed countries. The time an energy it took to find and buy things we wanted is sometimes time consuming, so we decided to do something about it.

4. What are your goals for Yogo.gd?

When Yogo.gd was started, our goals were to:

– To enhance the average consumer’s shopping experience in Grenada.

– To get local stores to sign up and list their items on the site.

– Have as many registered users as possible.

5. What were some of the start-up challenges you faced?

We had a few challenges:

– People often mistake us for Ezone or they think that we purchase our items overseas and bring them into the country.

– Convincing store owners to sign up and list their products on the site.

– Finding ways to get Grenadians to understand that they can stay at home and purchase from their favorite local stores and have it delivered to them for only $10.

6. What helped you to overcome those challenges?

We have experience with launching new platforms such as Greenz Elite (2015) and Jobbot.gd (2016). Therefore, we understand and appreciate the patience it takes for platforms to grow. In addition, We are somewhat hard-headed, we don’t quit. No matter how great the challenge.

7. What would you say is unique about Yogo.gd?

– Grenada’s very own Amazon.

– Customers can sign up for an account free and get delivery for $10 island wide.

– Customers can sign up for Yogo Plus Subscription and pay $100/year for Free Delivery.

How to sign up (Maximize vid for clearer view):

8.​ ​What​ ​are​ ​you​ ​looking​ ​forward​ ​to?​ ​Any​ ​new​ ​projects, events or plans​ ​for​ ​expansion?

Yes, we are looking forward to offering more services in the near future:

– Yogo Foods: This will allow customers to purchase from their favorite restaurant using the Yogo.gd website and app.

– Yogo Drive: A network of independent drivers which will deliver food purchased using Yogo Foods, for just $10.

9. If you had the power to turn back the hands of time and return to where it all started, considering all the challenges you faced, what would you do differently?

Honestly, nothing. We got lucky when SP’s International decided to trust us and become our first partner. That boosted our confidence and made it easier for others to say yes.

10. Share an important piece of advice you have gotten from a fellow entrepreneur or mentor which impacted your life?

Don’t ever give up – Elon Musk

Whatever the mind can conceive and believe the mind can achieve – Napoleon Hill

11. What advice can you give to persons looking to start their own business on the island?

Don’t wait, put your plans in action now. Allow yourself to fail a lot. Just remember to pick yourself up and try again.

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Most of us are used to making calls to restaurants to order ahead of time and then we’d go to the restaurant to pick up our meals. Some restaurants have actually started offering delivery services within parishes, but how about a service where you stay at home, order meals online and have it delivered to you?

I’d like to introduce you to KariBites.com where you can go online, select a local restaurant and place a custom order with special instructions from a detailed menu. You can pay online for your food and have it delivered to your door. All this can be done ONLINE. Keep reading to learn more.

1. What​ ​are your names and tell me about your business?

We are Renee Thomas and Stephen Walwyn and we are co-founders of our company KaribFusion. Recently, in April 2017, we created our first product under KaribFusion, KariBites which allows users to order online from local restaurants. We were participants in an online incubator programme called CTEP (Caribbean Tech Entrepreneurship Program) where we were successful as validation stage winners for our online ordering platform, KariBites. Learn more about CTEP at www.ctep.tech.

2.​ ​What​ ​services​ ​do​ ​you​ ​offer?

We offer online ordering for local restaurants so their customers can conveniently order food online and make arrangements for pickup or delivery. A customer can browse restaurants, select restaurant of their choice, browse their menu, select items to order, specify instructions and checkout. Once orders are placed, restaurants receive notifications immediately through their dashboard. Restaurants keep their customers engaged from start to finish by sending status updates of the order which customers receive via email notifications and live updates on an order status page.

3.​ ​What​ inspired you to start KariBites?

We conducted market research in the town of St. George and Grand Anse area and spoke to people about the challenges they experienced when ordering food for pickup or delivery. We learned that some of the challenges were busy phone lines, late orders, cold meals and more. We continued our research and spoke to restaurants who also had their end of issues. Afterwards, we realized that online ordering will be a solution that will benefit both restaurants and customers and that was how KariBites was born.

4.​ ​What​ ​are your ​goals for KariBites?

Some of our goals include getting people into the habit of ordering food online since it is completely new to our culture. We’re also working assiduously to get as many restaurants on the platform in St. George so that we can offer a wide variety of cuisines for users in the area before expanding to other parishes. During the early stages of the platform we’re hoping to get feedback from both restaurants and users as we strive to continuously improve the software.

[ctt title=”Satisfy your cravings. Order your next meal online with KariBites.” tweet=”Satisfy your cravings. Order your next meal online with @KariBites. https://ctt.ec/8N4im+ via @islepreneur” coverup=”8N4im”]

5.​ ​What​ ​are​ ​some​ ​of​ ​the​ ​challenges​ ​that​ ​you​ ​are​ ​currently​ ​facing?

A challenge that we are currently facing is that people think we’re just another delivery service but we’re more of an online platform for restaurants where people can order food for pickup or delivery. Online ordering is still relatively new to Grenada and we hope that we can offer this convenience to people who are always on the go and are looking to save time when ordering food with a few clicks on their phone.

Another challenge that we’re currently facing is integrating online payments onto KariBites. We’ve made tremendous progress and we’re confident online payments will soon be available for customers who would prefer the option.

6.​ ​How​ ​are​ ​you​ ​overcoming​ ​those​ ​challenges?

Persistence. This is the main factor that allows us to overcome these challenges. We’re determined to achieve our goals and we’re working persistently to achieve them. We’re also networking with other entrepreneurs and professionals who are invaluable resources for helping startups with their everyday problems. Lastly, validation from users who continuously confirm that this is something that is definitely needed as well as validation from restaurants who use the software and are impressed with how it works. Hearing those positive responses from people provides motivation for us to continue pushing forward.

7.​ ​What​ ​would​ ​you​ ​say​ ​is​ ​unique​ ​about​ KariBites?

While there are a lot of delivery services available in Grenada, no one else offers an online ordering solution which bridges the communication gaps between restaurants and their customers. KariBites empowers restaurants to offer the convenience of online ordering to their customers. KariBites also saves restaurants time by freeing them from answering their phone to accept orders for pickup or delivery. This allows restaurants to spend more time preparing delicious meals.

8.​ ​What​ ​are​ ​you​ ​looking​ ​forward​ ​to?​ ​Any​ ​new​ ​projects, events or plans​ ​for​ ​expansion?

Since we’re new, our focus is on educating people, getting the word out and showing people that the solution is REAL, you can order your next meal online now with KariBites. Our efforts are focused on mass promotions while ensuring restaurants are achieving their desired goals as a KariBites partner. We’re constantly looking for feedback from our users so we can continuously tailor the product to the needs of the people. Our future goals also include expanding to other Caribbean islands to become a regional online ordering solution for people in the Caribbean.

How to use KariBites:

Connect on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website KariBites.com to satisfy your cravings and order your next meal online.

Islepreneur was started to market Grenadian entrepreneurs providing products and services mainly using resources which can be found on island. It is our hope to widen our reach and promote island entrepreneurs from across the region. I’d like to introduce you to Read more…